Scandinavian Spice Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add egg and mix well. Beat in salt, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until well-blended. Stir in flour, oats, and raisins. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until light golden brown. Remove cookies immediately from sheet. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

School Bread

From the Restaurant Akershus and Kringla Bakery of Kafe Norway Pavilion at Epcot, DisneyWorld, FL
1/2 qt Water
3 oz Yeast (dry)
3.5 oz Sugar
2.5 oz Butter (melted)
1 tsp Cardamom
2 lbs Flour
1 Egg

Heat water and butter to 95 degrees F. Mix flour, sugar, cardamom, yeast and egg together for about five minutes until dough is stiff. Form it like a ball and place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size. Roll the dough out like a sausage and cut it into five-ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and put them on a non-stick sheet pan and let them rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Mix powdered sugar and water (use small amounts until proper consistency is achieved) to make icing and place in shallow pan. Form hole in bread using your finger. Dip bread in icing (hole side down) and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Using a pastry tube, squeeze vanilla custard into the hole and swirl at top for decoration.

Skillingsbolle (Cinnamon Buns)

6 cups white flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup margarine
50g yeast
2 cups lukewarm milk
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar

Mix together the first 4 ingredients, then add the milk. Knead slightly and let the dough rise 1 hour. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.

Divide the dough in half, then roll each piece to a square about 16"x16". Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top. Roll up each into a piece and slice off 12 equally-sized pieces. Shape into rolls. Let rise on a pan. Brush with egg white, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-17 minutes until they are golden.

SMOKED SALMON WITH SCRAMBLED EGGS

Slice salmon thin. Serve together with scrambled eggs (room temperature). Chopped chives can be added to the eggs before frying. Eggs should be firm.

Smultringer (Tiny doughnuts)

1/3 cup margarine or butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1-1/3 cups canned milk, whipped
2 tsp. cardamon
3-3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. salt

Melt and cool margarine or butter. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the canned milk until stiff, then fold in. Sir dry ingredients into egg/milk mixture, being careful not to add too much flour. Dough should be soft. Use just enough flour to be able to roll the dough out to 3/8 inch thickness. Cut with a small doughnut cutter. Deep fry in hot lard or Crisco until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Store in airtight containers.

SORT GRYTE (NORWEGIAN BLACK POT)

Serving Size : 6
10 1/2 oz Can cream of mushroom soup
1 c Milk
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Black pepper
2 c Cooked, diced chicken
1 c Cooked, diced ham
10 oz Package frozen peas
2 Leeks, cooked and cut into -1/2" pieces
4 Tomatoes, peeled and -quartered
1/4 c Madeira wine

In a large saucepan, combine soup, milk, salt, and pepper; blend well. Heat. Stir in chicken, ham, peas, leeks and tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated about 10 minutes. Stir in wine.

Norwegian Sweet Soup

1 lb. large pearl tapioca
1/2 c. raspberry, strawberry or blackberry juice (rhubarb sauce or cooked apples may be used
3/4 lb. pitted prunes
3 c. dark seedless raisins
1/2 c. grape juice (or more)
cinnamon stick (small)
sugar to taste pinch of salt

Soak pearl tapioca and pitted prunes overnight.
Add enough water to cook fruit tender and so that the tapioca looks transparent. Add the fruit juices when the prunes and raisins are tender and the tapioca is transparent. Add salt and sugar to taste. Serve hot or cold.
Other dried fruit such as peaches or apricots may be used also.

Sot Suppe (Sweet Soup)

14 cups water
1 cup raisins
1 cup currants
20-30 prunes
25 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
7 TBS tapioca
4 cups grape juice
2 cups or less sugar
3/4 TBS salt
1/2 cup lemon juice

Break up the cinnamon stick and put with cloves in a cheesecloth bag.
Add it to the water with the dried fruit. Boil 20-30 minutes. Add tapioca. Stir. Cook until almost clear. Then add the juice and sugar and boil until the tapioca is clear or has completely dissolved. Keep stirring. Add salt. Remove spice bag. Let it cool. As it cools, add the lemon juice.
NOTES:
I also add a small can of apricot nectar.
Port wine (perhaps 1 TBS per cup of finished soup) is an option.
I put dried mangoes, dried pears, dried apricots, lots of dried cranberries, a few prunes, raisins, a cinnamon stick and a few cloves and NO sugar added. Put this in the crock pot with water to cover and some tapioca. Cook a few hours until it seems ready. Delicious, especially with a little vanilla ice cream on top or just plain, too.

SPINATSUPPE (SPINACH SOUP)
Serving Size : 4
2 lb Spinach -- fresh
2 pk Frozen chopped spinach
2 qt Chicken stock -- fresh or -canned
3 tb Butter
2 tb Flour
1 t Salt
1/4 ts White pepper
1/8 ts Nutmeg
2 Eggs -- hard-cooked & sliced

Wash the fresh spinach thoroughly under cold running water to remove any sand. Drain by shaking it vigorously by hand or in a lettuce basket, then chop coarsely. If frozen spinach is used, thoroughly defrost and drain it. Bring 2 quarts of chicken stock to a boil in a 3-4 quart saucepan and add the fresh or frozen chopped spinach. Simmer uncovered about 6 to 8 minutes, then pour the entire contents of the pan into a sieve set over a large bowl. Press down hard on the spinach with the back of a wooden spoon to extract all it's juices. Set the liquid aside in the bowl and chop the cooked spinach very fine.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the saucepan. When the foam subsides, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour. With a wire whisk, beat the hot stock into this white roux a little at a time. Return the saucepan to the heat and, stirring it constantly, bring it to the boil. Then add the spinach. Season soup with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Half cover the pan and simmer soup over low heat about 5 minutes longer. Stir occasionally.
Garnish each serving of soup with a few slices of hard-cooked egg. On festive occasions, such as Easter, spinatsuppe is often served with a stuffed egg half floating in each soup bowl. To make these, remove the yolks from 2 or 3 hard-cooked eggs (depending on how many people you plan to serve) and mash them to a paste with about 1 to 2 teaspoons of softened butter. Roll the mixture into little balls and nestle 2 or 3 into each halved egg white.

Sprits

2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl. Add the egg yolks, and mix.
Add the flour and almond and vanilla extracts.
Mix and press the dough through a cookie press onto the cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
Makes about 60 cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Stekt Kylling Med Sure Flote (Chicken With Sour Cream)

· 3 Pounds Chicken Breast -- In 8 Pieces
· 1 Teaspoon Salt
· 1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper
· 2 Tablespoons Butter
· 1/4 Cup Cognac
· 2 Cups Chicken Broth
· 1/4 Cup Sherry
· 1/4 Cup Parsley -- Chopped
· 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
· 8 Ounces Mushroom -- Sliced And Cooked
Directions Rub chicken with salt and pepper. Saute chicken in butter until browned on all sides. Add cognac and ignite. After the flame has died add chicken broth. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add sherry and parsley. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm. Add sour cream to the liquid. Do not boil, but simmer until the sour cream has dissolved. Add mushrooms and pour sauce over chicken. Serve with boiled potatoes.
Serves 4

Swedish Christmas Lace

2/3 c. blanched almonds
1/4 c. sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 T light cream (half & half)

Chop almonds fine. I do them in the food processor. Combine with remaining ingredients.Cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir briskly a few seconds. Drop by teaspoon, about 4-inches apart on a well-greased lightly-floured baking sheet, doing only 4 or 5 cookies at a time. Bake at 375 for 5 to 6 minutes or until they start getting brown on the edges. Leave cookies on cookie sheet. They will finish baking in about 2 minutes. Lift with spatula and hang over wooden spoon handle. Cool until firm. When lifting off cookie sheet with spatula, if it's not ready to come off or if cookie goes together, leave a minute or two longer, then remove. Store in tightly-covered container.
Makes 2 dozen.

Toasted mackerel with redwinebutter

0.7-0.8 kg filet of mackarel with skin
2 Tsp olive oil

Sauce
0.6 litre red wine
3 shallots, chopped
1 Tsp olive oil
0.2 kg unsalted butter

Puree of celery
0.35 kg celery (the root, not the leaves)
0.2 litre milk
0.1 litre water
salt
freshly ground pepper
0.075 kg unsalted butter
(2-3 drops of lemon juice)

Toast the fish in olive oil in a hot frying pan.
Sauce: Saute the shallots in olive oil in a pan. Add red wine and reduce until syrupy consistence. Turn the heat down. Whisk in the cold, unsalted butter. Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Puree: Clean the celery and cut it into small pieces. Boil soft in as little milk and water as possible. Mash it with the liquids it has been boiled in, and whisk in cold, unsalted butter. Salt and pepper (and lemon if you wish) to taste.
Serve puree on plates, mackarel on top and sauce around. Add some green herbs for colour. Serve with wine made from gamay or lighter pinot noir, or a soft and modern barbera from Piemonte. White wine should have a round fruityness, or traces of sweetness.

TOMATSMOR (TOMATO BUTTER)

16 tb Butter, unsalted
4 tb Tomato paste
1 t Salt
1/2 ts Sugar, granulated

Cream butter in electric mixer. When light and fluffy, beat in tomato paste, salt and sugar. Transfer to serving bowl, chill until ready to serve. Serve cold, with hot grilled or fried fish.

TORSK MED EGGESAUS (POACHED CODFISH STEAKS W/EGG SAUCE)
Yield: 6 servings

1/2 c Salt
6 Codfish steaks; fresh, -sliced 3/4" thick
***EGG SAUCE***
1/4 lb Butter
1/4 c Hot fish stock (from above)
1 md Tomato; peeled, seeded and -chopped
1 tb Chives; finely chopped
Salt & pepper
***ALTERNATE GARNISH***
8 tb Butter; melted
1 Lemon; thinly sliced
Parsley sprigs

If you don't have a long, narrow fish poacher, an enamel roasting pan 5" deep will do just as well. Fill the pan with water to a depth of 4" and add 1/2 cup salt. Bring to a boil (over two burners, if necessary), reduce heat slightly and gently slide the cod slices into the water with a spatula. Lower the heat until water is bubbling slightly and simmer for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or the fish will disintegrate. Remove the slices with a slotted spatula and drain them on a linen napkin or dish towel. Reserve stock for use in the egg sauce. Arrange cod attractively on a heated platter and serve with egg sauce.
EGG SAUCE: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, beat in 1/4 cup of the stock in which you poached the fish and stir in chopped egg, tomato, parsley and chives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat almost to the boiling point, pour into a sauceboat and serve with the cod. If you prefer, you can simply pour melted butter over the cod and garnish with lemon slices and parsley. In Norway, this dish is often accompanied by raw diced carrots, sprinkled with lemon juice and new potatoes (see recipe).


Troll cream (trollkrem)

1 egg white
½ litre (1 pt) cleaned lingonberries
1 dl (1/2 c) sugar

Mix and beat until thick, light and fluffy. Can be served with vanilla sauce. If it's too tart, try adding a bit of crushed banana. Lingonberry jam can be used instead of fresh lingonberries.


Norwegian Waffles

200 ml plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds, or ground cardamom
1Tlb. Sugar
3 eggs
100 g melted butter
200 ml milk
100 ml cream

Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together, add to the dry. Mix well. Batter should be smooth. Let batter rest 20-30 minutes. Bake batter in a hot waffle iron. Traditional Norwegian iron is round and divided into heart shapes. Cool waffles afterwards. Norwegian waffles are eaten cold. Serve with jam, butter, sour cream, Norwegian brown (goat) cheese

Vafler 2 - (Waffles with sour cream)

1-1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs, separated

Mix all ingredients, except egg whites, until you have a smooth batter. Let rest 25-30 minutes. Beat egg whites until they form peaks, then gently fold them into the batter. Bake in Norwegian waffle iron. (Lightly butter surface before first waffle only.) Drop batter by tablespoonful onto iron, and close tightly. Bake until golden.

Place on cake racks to cool. Serve with jam or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Vafler 3 - (Waffles with buttermilk)

2 eggs
1-1/3 cup buttermilk
1-1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 T. sugar
3 T. melted margarine or butter

Beat the eggs with half the milk. Mix the dry ingredients and add to eggs. Sir until batter is smooth. Add remaining milk and melted butter and mix well. Let batter stand 10 minutes. Bake in Norwegian waffle iron until golden brown. Serve with goat cheese or jam.